


Shadows May Fall

by Artorias



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Corruption, Fluff and Angst, Institute of War, Loss of Innocence, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-31 03:48:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19417867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artorias/pseuds/Artorias
Summary: Your former master, Zed, has been slain by your hands. Now bearing the title Master of Shadows, your mission is a simple one...Attend the Institute of War. Win games.Crush the Noxus threat looming over Ionia.Fulfil your masters dying wish.





	Shadows May Fall

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LizardoInABox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizardoInABox/gifts).



With a dull thud, your former masters body falls to the ground, his hands grasping the myriad amounts of stabs and cuts all over his body. 

  
  


Sheathing your shortswords with a sharp click, tears pool at the corner of your eyes as you gently kneel down in front of the man you served all your life.

  
  


The man you called  _ father. _

  
  


His breaths coming out in gasps, you can feel his eyes bore into yours through the slits in his mask. Dull, slowly hollowing orbs. This was the man you decided to call your father? Your master?

  
  


“...It didn’t need to be this way, Zed.” You whisper, your eyes darkened with grief and anger. Zed’s body stiffens at the mention of his name.

  
  


“It did, my pupil. You  _ know _ it had to be this way.”

  
  


Snarling, you grip him by the shoulders, shaking him angrily as tears stream down your bloodied face.

  
  


“AT THE COST OF YOUR LIFE?! AT THE COST OF LEAVING ME ALONE?!” You scream, hands beginning to shake with agony. “Why… why is  _ this _ the price we must pay for peace? Why must you make the sacrifice?! Was there truly no other way…?”

  
  


Taking a hold of your hand with a weak grip, your dying master lets out a sigh of relief. “You know why this must happen. We stay dirty… and the world around us gets just a little bit cleaner.”

  
  


Propping his back against the walls of the dojo, Zed lets out a grunt of pain. 

  
  


“...I was foolish, Yume. So, so foolish...”

  
  


The wind howls outside, heavy rain pouring down as it crackles against the dojo. 

  
  


“The shadows… they consumed me. Corrupted my mind. I’ve done horrible, horrible things, my pupil. The lives I took in the name of justice. It all blinded me… and all it took was being on the verge of death to realize how much of a hypocrite I was being. My foolish, foolish self…”

  
  


Coughing up blood, you instantly raise your embroidered cloth and raise it to wipe his lips. 

  
  


“The Order of Shadow. There will be no leader soon after I die. Kayn is dead. There… can be nobody else I can turn the leadership towards… besides you.”

  
  


No.

No no no…

  
  


“M-Master… Surely you must je-”

  
  


Coughing, he raises a hand, interrupting you.

  
  


“I jest not. There is nobody else I can think of that can lead the Order of Shadows to a better place. One where we’re not feared anywhere we tread. My actions have destroyed this Order, sundered what I built it for.”

  
  


“...I created this Order to protect Ionia. It spiraled out of control, to the point where people began to assume we were Noxus terrorists in disguise. All because of me.”

  
  


Grasping your shaking hands, Zed unmasks himself, a bitter smile complementing his slowly graying hair. “I  _ know _ you can bring this Order back from the depths I’ve plunged it into… and become the rightful protector of Ionia you dream to be.”

  
  


Your lips begin to quiver as you struggle to hold in your streaming tears. You? Lead the Order? How could you possibly even  _ begin _ to do that?!

  
  


“Heh… maybe Shen was right. Maybe… maybe the way I’ve been living wasn’t the best… but I’ve made my bed, and I shall die in it.”

His steely eyes turning towards you, he whispers, “Please, Y/N. There is nobody else in the world I can trust more than you.”

  
  
  


Grasping your wrist, he grimaces as his wounds continue to bleed. 

  
  


“You will kill Zed, the Tyrant of Shadows. And you will become a hero. In order for true peace... “

  
  


Coughing loudly, 

  
  


“My life must be thrown to the cutting board to give Ionia the chance to survive. To turn the tides against Noxus…”

  
  


His trademark shadows begin to swirl around him, just as you remember it. The shadows that took you in. The one you tried to help control.

  
  


“These shadows… they’re dastardly. They’re evil. But they  _ must _ be used.”

  
  


Standing up weakly, you do the same as your hands still quiver. You feel like you’re going to pass out on the spot.

  
  


“I, Zed, Master of Shadows, hereby pronounce my pu- no, my  _ son _ , Y/N as the new Master of Shadows. W-With my last dying breath… I retain my legacy to you. You who slew the wicked Tyrant of Shadows. Emerge from this dojo as a true hero.”

  
  


With a sudden burst of energy flaring from his dying body, a swirl of dark energy flows into your body. Screaming in agony, you levitate slightly and scream at the top of your lungs, your veins threatening to rip straight out of your body. Tattoos that weren’t there previously burn onto your arms, etches of shadows carving itself onto your body.

  
  


Gasping for breath, the pain stops as wisps of jet black wispy shadows trail from your body. Slumping to your knees, you stare into your masters lifeless eyes. A ghost of a smile graces his face. 

Your breath is wracked with sobs as you cradle the body of your former master, his eyes closed in blissful rest.

  
  


The world will see him as the villain. Only the very select few who know the truth will understand what you have done today. The masses will see you as a hero, one who slew the Tyrant of Shadows. The one who lost their way, and threatened to plunge Ionia in its endless chaos.

  
  


Clenching your fist angrily, shadows course around you chaotically, before forcing yourself to calm down.

  
  


You don’t feel like a hero.

  
  


You never  _ will _ be.

  
  


Seeing a stray piece of paper sticking out Zed’s armor, you gently reach out and pluck it from his waist. It’s… a mana infused note. You recognize this… it only reveals its contents when the blood of the intended reader is dropped onto it. Taking out your shortsword for a brief moment, you make a shallow cut on your finger, pressing onto the paper. The hidden text glows.

  
  


_ Yume. _

  
  


_ If you are reading this, I have died knowing that the future of Ionia will rest with you, and the comrades you’ll make on the way.  _

  
  


_ I’ve dug my grave, and I shall sleep eternally within it. I’ve done horrible, horrible things, all for the Order of Shadows, the very same organization I created after I killed my master and disgraced the Kinkou. I’m sure you know the sob story. _

  
  


_ Shen was right. Perhaps the way I went about protecting Ionia wasn’t the most efficient, nor the morally right choice. Maybe deep, deep down, I understood this, but never truly acted on this. All it took was you to show me differently. You showed me no matter what perils a mortal soul may go through, their morals and standards cant change. Despite all the suffering you were forced through, you stuck to yourself and what you believed in. As I write this, I have confidence that you and your dreams of a united world will happen. _

  
  


_ You don’t understand how proud that makes me, Yume. _

  
  


_ As a final gift, I’ve left you my weapons. My hidden armblades are now yours. Do with you will with them. The dead have no need for such things.  _

  
  


_ Goodbye, my son. I love you. _

  
  


At the very bottom of the note are very faint drops of what seems to be liquid. Shaking your eyes, you chuckle.

  
  


“I love you too... dad." You whimper out, cradling the note in your arms.

  
  


Folding the paper in half, you stuff it in your pockets as you make your way to your fathers lifeless body, ripping the armblades from his wrists. Caressing the bloodied blades, you secure them to your wrists, staring at the polished blade acting as a mirror.

  
  


The world will rejoice upon the news arriving about Zed’s death. They’ll sing praise about you. Another Hero of Ionia. Clutching your shortsword with a white-hot grip, you grit your teeth.

  
  
You don't feel like a hero. Heroes don't kill their fathers. Heroes don't raise their blade against the innocent. Heroes don't cry for the death of a supposed "villain".

You feel like a coward. A liar. A cheat.

A murderer.

Falling to your knees, your breaths come out in heavy gasps, tears pooling in your eyes. Letting out a cry of anguish, the shadows inhabiting your body exploding with sheer force, forming a cocoon around you. All you can remember before you blacking out is smashing the floor of the dojo in a blinding rage, screaming at the top of your lungs.

_"Um... Master Zed? Why are you coming back so late, if I may ask?"_

_"Ah... don't worry about me. Come here. Have you practiced your forms today?"_

_  
"Yes! I'm getting really good with these shortswords. Thank you so much for getting them for me!"_

_"Hmph. You may thank me by training ten times harder. Get some rest, we have a busy day tomorrrow._

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> https://ko-fi.com/artorias_writes
> 
>   
> Plot may or may not change, specifically within the Institute of War. Riot is right; it's simply too limiting, but it's highly unlikely i'll change the plot.
> 
> If you enjoyed this garbage, why not buy me a coffee? I hate coffee, but the money sure is nice.


End file.
